Watch: Gazans celebrate as Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal brings hope

A ceasefire agreement and captive release deal between Israel and Hamas have sparked celebrations in Gaza, bringing hope for an end to 15 months of devastating conflict. Qatar, which has been the mediator, announced the deal on Wednesday, but Israeli authorities noted that some points still need to be resolved.

 

“I can’t believe that this nightmare of more than a year is finally coming to an end. We have lost so many people, we’ve lost everything. We need a lot of rest. As soon as the truce begins, I will go to the cemetery to visit my brother and family members. We buried them in Deir el-Balah cemetery without proper graves. We will build them new graves and write their names on them,” Qatari news outlet Al Jazeera quoted a displaced man from Gaza City as saying.

 

In Gaza, news of the truce was met with joy as crowds gathered in the streets. People chanted, embraced, and waved flags outside Deir el-Balah’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, a symbol of the war's toll.

 

Large crowds gathered in Khan Yunis, where young men rode on the shoulders of others, beating drums and cheering in celebration. Meanwhile, in Gaza City, residents shared a bittersweet moment, expressing joy over the ceasefire but mourning the many lives lost in the conflict.

 

The people in Lebanon also celebrated the ceasefire deal while gathering on streets in large numbers, lighting firecrackers and chanting religious slogans.

 

How the ceasefire deal was achieved?

The ceasefire deal involved three key negotiators- Egypt, the US and Qatar. The Steve Witkoff, the Middle East envoy of incoming US President Donald Trump, was also part of the ceasefire negotiation in Qatar. 

 

US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump both took credit on Wednesday for a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages agreement. While announcing the ceasefire, Biden emphasised that the final agreement closely aligned with a proposal he introduced in May. 

 

The deal promises to pause fighting for 42 days and includes the release of 33 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. The war, which began on October 7, 2023, has left over 46,700 dead in Gaza and 1,210 in Israel, according to Palestine's Ministry of Health.